“Everybody’s Invited,” we say at Access, to come, to connect, and to get involved. Not long after their first visit, Raymond and Jill Guffey jumped in to do just that, headfirst.

Raymond and Jill had heard great things about Access from friends, so they brought their 2-year-old son, Dru, to the “Easter Eggstravaganza” event. “We wanted Dru to have a church to call home, and we wanted a place to grow our own faith so we could nourish his,” Jill said.

Access was completely different from previous churches they had experienced, especially for Raymond, who has Catholic roots. But after a few visits, they knew Access was something they wanted to be a part of. “Right away I loved the music, the practical teaching, and the comfortable atmosphere,” Jill said.

Knowing that community was the key to growing their faith, Raymond and Jill joined a Community Group. “We wanted some time as a couple with other adults, and we wanted to learn more about God,” Jill said.… Read the rest

About a year and a half ago, the elders and I gathered a group of real-estate professionals and began a conversation about purchasing the Losco building we have been leasing. However, we encountered two obstacles: First, we couldn’t afford what the sellers wanted for the building. We were about one million dollars apart. Second, at the time, about 70% of our attenders were coming from St. Johns, and it was clear that St. Johns was about to once again experience explosive growth.

So that team, which by the way, was made up entirely of Duval residents, decided to pursue the possibility of a new location for Access Church in St. Johns. It just seemed like the best way for us to connect the most people to Jesus.

The trick is finding something that is more convenient for our St. Johns attenders without discouraging our Duval attenders from also inviting their neighbors. And, of course, there is also the cost factor.… Read the rest